§ Mr. TynanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many employees in his Department have(a) signed a formal opt out from and (b) are exempt from the Working Time Directive; and how many employees in his Department have recorded hours, including any accruing on a flexitime basis, in excess of the maximum allowed under the Working Time Directive in the last month for which figures are available. [178364]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeMy Department is committed to reducing the number of employees who work in excess of the Working Time Directive maximum to an absolute minimum.
64 employees have signed a formal opt out from the Working Time Directive. No employees are exempt. The number of hours that each employee works per week is not kept centrally, therefore the number of hours in excess of the maximum allowed under the Working Time Directive could be provided only at disproportionate cost.